Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount www.dakotacountytribune.com
and the surrounding areas April 7, 2016 • Volume 131 • Number 6
Rosemount man charged after fatal crash
NEWS Task force readies plan
Eric Kasprzyk allegedly ran from scene naked
Residents advocate for less train noise in downtown Farmington. Other suggestions collected after input sessions. Page 3A
OPINION Preserve our water quality The ECM Editorial Board encourages state leaders to ensure the quality of drinking water by undertaking new initiatives. Page 4A
by Laura Adelmann SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Rosemount driver who police say ran naked into a home after fleeing the scene of a fatal crash in Lakeville has been charged with multiple felonies in Dakota County. Eric Wesley Kasprzyk, 40, is charged with three counts of criminal vehicular homicide (negligence and under the influence; gross negligence and leaving the scene) and one count of first-degree burglary, all felonies. Police say Kasprzyk was speeding in a white BMW and driving west in
the eastbound lane on 160th Street at around 8:30 a.m. April 1 before witnesses r e p o r t e d Eric seeing a Kasprzyk vehicle matching that description run a red light and crash into the driver’s side door of a Toyota Camry, driven by 45-year-old Osah Phetsarath of Lakeville. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner reported that Phetsarath died of multiple blunt force injuries in the crash.
Kasprzyk fled the scene, shedding his clothes, and burst into the home of a family with two children, ages 2 years old and 6 months old, according to the Dakota County criminal complaint. He allegedly hid in a closet, but pushed his way out of it after one of the townhome occupants attempted to barricade him in it. The criminal complaint said Kasprzyk entered the kitchen, briefly struggled with the male homeowner, then entered the dining room near the couple’s toddler and put a comforter around his shoulders,
ignoring the male homeowner’s repeated requests for him to leave. At one point, police said Kasprzyk grabbed the homeowner’s jacket, tied it around his waist and told the man to “get the gun,� and the homeowner responded there was no gun. Kasprzyk allegedly asked for some clothing, but the man refused. Police say Kasprzyk locked the front door and garage door, then held the male resident’s wrist when police arrived and asked him not to open the door, but the resident broke free of him and officers entered.
THISWEEKEND
Police said Kasprzyk was excited, talkative but unable to hold a conversation and appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he was arrested. Kasprzyk was transported to Fairview Ridges Hospital and then Regions Hospital for evaluations, and during both trips became combative and had to be sedated, according to the complaint. Police said Kasprzyk told them he had been driving the BMW before the crash and believed he was traveling between 50See CRASH, 6A
Mack will not seek reelection by Andrew Miller SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
History through a ďŹ ctional lens Dale Swanson, author of the historical novel “The Thirty-Ninth Man,â€? is set to speak April 19 at the Steeple Center in Rosemount. Page 15A
Diamonds team members Maggie Wussow, left, and Rebecca Downs make adjustments to the playing field for their Lego robotics project. (Photo by Andrew Miller)
Robotics in the spotlight Two area teams qualify for world championships
SPORTS McLean, Gehrke honored Athena Award goes to top senior female athletes McLean and Gehrke along with others in the Twin Cities area. Page 10A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.
by Andrew Miller SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Two groups of local students are bringing their science know-how to an international stage later this month. The Iron Maidens, a FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team comprised of six Apple Valley High School 10th-graders, and The Diamonds, a middle school-age FIRST LEGO League team with students from Apple Valley and Rosemount, have each
qualified for the FIRST World Festival in St. Louis. It’s a milestone for both teams in the FIRST program, which seeks to develop science and technology skills in youths. The Diamonds have been together for five years, and their name is a reference to Apple Valley’s Diamond Path Elementary, which they were attending when the team was formed. Coached by parent volunteers Tom and Vergene Downs, the team took first place at the state compe-
tition earlier this year, the capstone event to the season for Minnesota’s 630 teams. This year’s FIRST LEGO competition saw the Diamonds competing in the Trash Trek challenge, consisting of a recycling-themed project and a robot game. For its project, the team designed a recyclable pizza box with a perforated bottom. Generally, pizza boxes are difficult to recycle because of the See ROBOTICS, 6A
State Rep. Tara Mack, R-Apple Valley, announced April 2 she will not be seeking a fifth term in office. Mack, who chairs the House’s Health and H u m a n Services Committee, made the Tara Mack announcement at the Senate District 57 GOP convention, as well as on her Twitter and Instagram accounts. “For the past 8 years, it has been an absolute honor to serve the community in which I was raised and I want to express my gratitude to everyone that has supported me for so many years,� Mack wrote in a post on her Instagram account alongside a family photo. “As a wife and a mother of two amazing young kids, I want the next chapter of my life to be focused on our family and raising these amazing little people.� Mack made no mention of the Aug. 25, 2015, incident in which a Lebanon Hills Regional Park ranger allegedly found See MACK, 7A
Candidates endorsed in District 57 Republicans, DFLers line up for 2016 campaign by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 11A Announcements . . . . 14A Calendars . . . . . . . . . 14A
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The DFL and Republican Senate District 57 conventions on April 2 resulted in endorsements of five candidates: DFLers Greg Clausen, Erin Maye Quade and John Huot and Republicans Cory Campbell and Anna Wills. Clausen, who was elected to the Senate in 2012 when he defeated Pat Hall with 54 percent of the vote, will run against Campbell in the general election. Huot and Wills will compete for the House District
57B seat that Wills has held since she was first elected in 2012 when she defeated Jeff Wilfahrt Erin Maye with 53 per- Quade cent of the vote. She won re-election over Denise Packard earning 58 percent of the vote in 2014. Maye Quade’s opponent in House District 57A is not known at this time after state Rep. Tara Mack announced at Saturday’s convention she would not be
Anna Wills
John Huot
seeking re-election. Republican Senate District 57 Chairman Pat Staley said a 57A candidate would likely be endorsed at a convention in May. He said a number of good candidates have expressed interest. Maye Quade said in a
Maye Quade said. “We must work together to build an economy that works for the people of District 57A and all of Minnesota, not just the wealthy few. That means ensuring all students are afforded the opportunity to thrive in school, as well as fixing our state’s roads and bridges.� Maye Quade was born and raised in Apple Valley and is a 2004 graduate of Eastview High School where she participated in music, softball and swimming.
Greg Cory Clausen Campbell statement that she greatly appreciated Mack’s eight years of service and wished Mack’s family the best. “I believe it’s time for new leadership in St. Paul, and I am excited to talk with the voters of District 57A about the direction of our community and state,� See CANDIDATES, 6A
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